Under New Ownership

The only sound to be heard was the scratching of pen across the crisp white paper. The final signature was there. A wash of relief flooded the man’s soul. Cameron could hardly believe  it was happening.

In all honesty, the house he was now rid of was not much to speak of. It lacked space or a cohesive floor plan. It didn’t have curb appeal whatsoever. Storage was an issue and the neighborhood was fairly rundown. There were so many things wrong that he couldn’t begin to imagine how to fix them all or even where to begin.

Now, it wasn’t his problem. A smile crept across his face before he even realized it was there.  He was rid of the house and all it would entail.

“It’s all yours,” he said tossing the keys to the new owner.

Arthur  was older but spry. The excitement that filled this man’s features surprised Cameron.  He just couldn’t understand it at all. He had been honest about what the house needed though so he didn’t feel the slightest bit bad. Still, he felt like he couldn’t leave without asking a couple questions.

“Why do you want this house?” Cameron asked, head cocked unconsciously.

Arthur smiled and seemed to wait until each word was fully formed in His mind before he dare spoke a one. “I love this house. I love this neighborhood. I wanted this house the moment it was built, but there have been things standing in the way all this time. Now, it’s mine.”

Still not grasping the plausibility of this, Cameron continued, “But the pipes leak and the siding is rotted. The kitchen is outdated and the yard is too small. The floor…”

“Let me stop you there, “Arthur interrupted. “I knew all this. I saw when the house was built and it wasn’t all that much to look at then, honestly. That’s not what I see. I see what it is now and what it can be.”

“What it can be?” Cameron huffed. “No matter how much you do, it’s never going to be anyone’s ‘dream house.’ ”

Arthur paused and smiled again. “I’ve been doing this a long time. I know what I’m doing. You can trust me with this.”

“Hey, it’s your time and effort. Don’t let me hold you up!” the younger man said putting his hands out in front of him in mock protest.

“Would you like to see some of my plans?” said Arthur.

“Sure,” he said as Arthur unrolled blueprints. He leaned over the table and struggled to know exactly what it all meant.

“This is where I’m starting,” Arthur pointed, sliding his index finger along the page. “And then I’m headed over here to knock out that wall. Once I replace this, I’ll be…”

Arthur kept talking, but Cameron couldn’t hear any more. His anger was boiling inside him. This guy was changing everything. It wasn’t anything like Cameron would have done it or wanted it done.

“You can’t do this!” Cameron nearly shouted as Arthur calmly stopped to listen. “You think you can change everything in here? I lived in there my whole life. It won’t even be recognizable! I know it needs some work, but you’re going too far. I won’t let you do this! I forbid you to carry out your plans!”

Cameron could feel the heat from his face and knew it must be bright and glowing red. Arthur, unmoved and resolute, spoke gently yet strongly, “Cameron, I’m sorry you feel that way, but it is not your decision. You have no say in what I do or how I do it. You see, it’s not your house.”

All the blood suddenly drained from his face. He stumbled backward and fell straight into the couch behind him. Arthur gave him a nod and a smile and walked out the door.

Is God saying anything to you in this?

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